Returning guest Emily once shared her recovery journey with us. In this episode, she returns with a story of a different kind of strength — the strength of a mother who knew something wasn’t right.

Growth isn’t always about adding something new — sometimes it’s about letting something go.

In Part 4 of our conversation with Zeke Mercer, we revisit the idea of “planting flowers and pulling weeds.” Zeke opens up about recognizing that wrestling, while still deeply loved, has become something she may need to step back from. Not out of resentment, but out of awareness. As she explains, things work… until they don’t.

Our conversation with Zeke Mercer continues in Part 3, and this episode moves into some deeply reflective territory.

We explore how beliefs can sometimes overpower facts, particularly in healthcare and societal narratives. Zeke offers candid perspectives on bias, misinformation, and the lived experience of being talked over or misunderstood.

Part 2 of our conversation with Zeke Mercer continues with an honest look at sacrifice, expectations, and the cost of pursuing a dream.

In this episode of Fishing Without Bait, Jim Ellermeyer sits down with pro wrestler Zeke Mercer (she/her) for a reflective conversation about burnout, identity, and mindful decision-making. Zeke shares her long-term plan to step away from wrestling after nearly a decade—not because she’s stopped loving it, but because she recognizes the need for balance.

In Part 4 of our ongoing conversation with Shane Chojnacki — pro wrestler and fighter known as The Savage Gentleman Victor Benjamin — we explore what happens when life forces us to slow down and truly look at where we are.

In Part 3 of our powerful conversation with Shane Chojnacki — MMA fighter, boxing coach, personal trainer, and pro wrestler known as The Savage Gentleman Victor Benjamin — we dive deeper into resilience, purpose, and perspective.

In Part 2 of our conversation with Shane Chojnacki—MMA fighter, boxing coach, and professional wrestler known as The Savage Gentleman Victor Benjamin—we dive deeper into the decisions that shaped his life and career.

Host Jim Ellermeyer sits down with Shane Chojnacki — a professional fighter, wrestler, trainer, and health advocate also known as “The Violent Gentleman” Victor Benjamin — for a powerful conversation about resilience, choice, and refusing to let your past define your future.

In Fishing Without Bait 497, we continue our conversation with returning guest Santina Grace, exploring listening, compassion, and the freedom found in letting go of mental noise and judgment.

This episode is about slowing down, tuning in, and making intentional choices that lead to clarity and peace.

As we move into a new year, Fishing Without Bait offers a thoughtful holiday message centered on mindfulness, intention, and self-compassion. Behavioral health therapist Jim Ellermeyer reflects on resilience, reminding us that we’ve already survived every hard day we’ve faced.

This holiday season, Fishing Without Bait pauses to reflect, breathe, and express gratitude.

In this special holiday message, Jim Ellermeyer shares a moment of mindfulness and appreciation for the listeners, guests, and community who make this journey possible. The holidays can bring joy, stress, nostalgia, and reflection — and this message is an invitation to slow down, stay present, and extend compassion to yourself and others.

In Episode 496 of Fishing Without Bait, we continue Part 3 of our meaningful conversation with returning guest and Clairvoyant Santina Grace. This episode centers on healing trauma without being consumed by it — learning how to release emotional weight so we can live more fully in the present moment.

In this episode of Fishing Without Bait, we welcome back our imaginative, energetic returning guest Santina Grace for Part 2 of a deeply insightful conversation about mindfulness, self-awareness, grounding practices, and the inner battles so many of us face every day. Together, Santina and Jim dive into themes of anchoring thoughts, depersonalization, perspective shifts, emotional resilience, and reclaiming personal agency.

Clairvoyant medium Santina Grace returns for a powerful conversation about finding joy in a chaotic world. Jim and Santina explore mindfulness, anxiety, fear, the myth of productivity, and how to reconnect with gratitude and inner peace. Learn how small moments, emotional awareness, and grounding techniques can help you manage stress, improve mental health, and rediscover joy with intention.

In Episode 493 of Fishing Without Bait, we continue our powerful two-part conversation on the lifelong impact of religiously reinforced guilt, shame, and fear. Building on the foundation set in Episode 492, Jim Ellermeyer and host Mike Sorg peel back the layers of how religious structures shape personal identity, relationships, sexuality, and self-worth.

In this reflective episode of Fishing Without Bait, Jim Ellermeyer takes listeners on a deeply honest exploration of the one practice most of us struggle with: letting go. Whether it’s fear, resentment, expectations, control, or the stories we’ve carried for far too long, Jim walks us through why release is essential—and how mindfulness helps us loosen our grip.

In this episode of Fishing Without Bait, counselor and mindfulness guide Jim Ellermeyer takes listeners on a thoughtful and practical journey into the world of inherent truths—the deep personal values and qualities that define who we really are beneath expectations, judgment, and fear.

Jim opens the conversation by reminding us that self-discovery isn’t about finding a ready-made identity—it’s about creating ourselves with honesty, open-mindedness, and a willingness to try. He introduces the idea that inherent truths are fundamental aspects of identity that aren’t shaped by outside forces. These truths include qualities like empathy, honesty, dependability, intelligence, and the capacity to learn and love.

In Episode 490, Jim Ellermeyer and producer Mike Sorg explore what leadership truly means through the lens of Jesus of Nazareth. From the radical humility and servant leadership he modeled 2,000 years ago to his timeless call for justice and compassion, Jim examines how these teachings apply to the world’s political and social climate today.

In this episode of Fishing Without Bait, Jim Ellermeyer and producer Mike Sorg wade into some deep—and dangerous—waters. Together, they explore how stochastic rhetoric and obfuscation have become the most powerful tools in modern political communication.

What do those words mean? In short, they describe how leaders and media use vague, coded, or confusing language to manipulate emotions, create division, and dodge accountability. From “dog whistles” to “plausible deniability,” Jim explains how these tactics quietly shape behavior and beliefs—without ever saying things outright.